The invention relates to heat exchangers. More particularly, the invention relates to a heat exchanger having a compact construction, which, for example, is especially suited for applications where space is at a premium, such as in nuclear thermal rocket engines.
Nuclear rockets generally use a solid-fuel element reactor to heat a single liquid propellant. Some of the propellant is first used to cool chamber walls and reflectors before injection into the reactor heating chamber. Gamma shields are generally provided to protect crew members from reactor fluence. However, gamma shields generally add to the weight of the engine which adversely affects launching capabilities. In addition, conventional heat exchangers used in these engines are generally massive and significantly increase the rocket's weight.